At this law firm, even the runner and receptionist must have a college degree

An Atlanta law firm’s hiring practices illustrate the importance of a good education.

Busch, Slipakoff & Schuh, a firm with more than 30 lawyers, will not hire anyone without a college education, the New York Times reports. Those who want a job there as an administrative assistant, file clerk, receptionist or runner are out of luck if they don’t have a degree.

The Times sees a trend afoot. “The college degree is becoming the new high school diploma: the new minimum requirement, albeit an expensive one, for getting even the lowest-level job,” the story says. This “degree inflation” helps explain the high 8.1 percent unemployment rate for workers with no more than a high school degree. The rate for college grads, on the other hand, is only 3.7 percent.

The story quotes Adam Slipakoff, managing partner at the law firm. “College graduates are just more career-oriented,” he said. “Going to college means they are making a real commitment to their futures. They’re not just looking for a paycheck.”